Load handling device



D United States 1 Patent 1111 3,5 5,

[ Inventors Reuben r 2,390,295 12/1945 Colson -294/86(Ls1x J Boersiowalonflfli Minnesota 2,412,488 l2/l946 Austin.... 294/78(A)X 1 p 768,742 2,678,025 5/1954 Straky 2 I4/I(R3)X Flled 3,406,845 l0/l968 Fahey 2l4/l6.4 [45] Patented Dec. 8,1970 FOREIGN PATENTS [73] Ass'gnee 503,394 4/1939 Great Britain 2l4/l(R2)UX Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner-Frank E. Werner [54] LOAD HANDLINGDEVICE Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 214/1 R C A load h dli device f relatively heavy n CL 8 69/00 which may have irregular shapes wherein the part is ofSearch suspended above he ground a pair of chain slings which K N 0 1 wrap about the part and with one of the slings being power in- 77 dexed for rotationof the sling by lengthwise movement of the chain. The powered sling is effectively attached to the part [56] References Cmd whereby the part can be rotated to a desired position while UNITED STATES PATENTS suspended from the ground and the other chain sling supports l,074,863 l0/l9l3 Heppenstall 2 l4/ l(R2)X the part and is free for rotational movement to accommodate 1,498,153 6/1924 Cull 2 I 4/ l (R2)X the powered rotative positioning of the part.

PATENTEDDEC 81970 SHEET 1 [IF 2 PATENTED DEC 8 19m SHEU 2 BF 2 1 LOAD'IIANDLlNG-DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to a -load handling device for suspending relatively heavy, bulky parts and obtaining desired rotative positioning thereof.

Load handling devices-are known wherein a part is SUMMARY An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved I load handling device for suspending heavy partsand obtaining desired rotative positioning thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a load handling device for turning relativelyheavy and bulky parts to a desired position while suspended above the ground comprising, a frame from which a pair of chain slings depend at spaced points along the length of the frame and with the slings extending around the underside of the part or entirely around the part, and means for rotating said one sling by lengthwise movement of the chain thereof to obtain rotation of the part and with the other sling supporting the part and moving therewith as the part is rotated.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a load handling device as defined in the preceding paragraph and with means for adjusting the chain slings lengthwise along the length of the frame to accommodate parts of different length and to provide for balancing of the part weight relative to a hoist connection on the frame.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a load handling device as defined in the preceding paragraphs wherein the frame has a bracket for connection to a hoist and with means movably mounting the bracket lengthwise of the frame to balance the part weight relative to the hoist to main tain the load in a relatively level condition.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is 'a perspective view of an embodiment of the load handling device, with a part shown suspended therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation, similar to FIG. 2 of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4 and'with parts broken away;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred mode of supporting a balanced load of an appropriate shape by the load handling device; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of still another mode of supporting a part.

DESCRIPTION OF TI'IE EMBODIMENTS While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail an embodiment of the invention together with modifications thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

A first embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and comprises an elongate frame 10 which can be supported at a distance above the ground by means, such as a hoist (not shown) having a hook 11. A driven sling l4 and an idler sling 15 extend downwardly from the frame and around an irregularly-shaped part to be suspended and rotatably. positioned above the ground. For illustrative purposes, the part is shown in FIG. 1 as a component 16 of a crawler-type tractor which isheavy and bulky and has an irregular contour. The load handling device can also be used to support heavy motors, dozer blades and buckets as well as other types of heavy machinery where it is desired in the course of repair, assembly, disassembly, welding and-other maintenance work to turn the part without damage to the part or danger to the workmen.

A preferred procedure for supporting a balanced load is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 6 wherein the chain slings l4 and 15 merely extend around the underside of the part P.

When the part has an irregular shape or is very substantially v out of balance, the driven'sling 14 can be effectively attached to the part by having a portion thereof wrapped entirely around a section of the part, as shown in FIG. 1, or, as shown diagrammaticallyin F IG. 7, the driven sling 14 can completely wrap around the part. v

The frame 10 comprises an I-bea'm having a web 20 with an 'upperflange 21 and a lower flange 22. A bracket 23 is secured, as by welding, tothe upper flange 21 midway between the ends of the frame and has an opening 24 therein to receive the hoist hook ll.

The chain slings 14 and 15 are each part of a load-engaging unit with the unit for the chain sling l4 embodying a pair of plates 30 and 31 connected together for simultaneous movement and each having a recess 32, as shown for the plate 30 in FIG. 3, which receives the lower flange 22 of the frame beam and has a pair of inturned legs 33 and 34 which rest upon the upper side of the beam flange 22 to support the weight of the unit from the frame. There is sliding engagement between the legs and the beam flange whereby the brackets can move longitudinally of the frame for purposes more fully set forth hereinafter. This adjusting movement is effected by a screw shaft 35 rotatably mounted in a bearing on panel 36 fixed to and depending downwardly from an end of the frame beam and which threads into a sleeve 37 affixed between the bracket plates 30 and 31 whereby rotation of the screw shaft 35 results in movement of the mounting bracket. The outer end of the screw shaft 35 has a manually operable crank 38 for imparting rotation to the screw shaft.

A drive sprocket 40 for'the chain sling 14 is journalled in the mounting bracket plates 30 and 31 and a multisided drive shaft 41 extends therethrough in interfitting locked relation. The drive shaft is of a length, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, to permit substantial adjustment of the mounting bracket, along the frame, while still maintaining the connection to the drive sprocket. The drive shaft 41 is connected by a flexible coupling 42 to a power unit secured to the frame beam 20 cmbodying an electric motor 43 with gear reduction and an electric brake 44 which are under the control of a remote control box 45 connected thereto by a line 46. This control also has a connection to a source of electric power.

The chain sling 14 is preferably formed of two different types of chain with a length of roller chain 50 passing over and in driving engagement with the sprocket 40 and connected to a length of log chain 51. The roller chain provides for a good driving connection to the sprocket, while the log chain made up of interconnected similar links provides flexibility to either extend around and follow the contour of the part 16, as shown in FIG. 6; wrap around a portion of the part to fasten the two together, as shown at 52 in FIG. 1; or wrap completely around the part, as shown in FIG. 7. Also, the log chain permits the use of a half hitch to prevent slipping. The total length of the chain sling 14 can be adjusted by utilization of grab hooks associated with the log chain 51.- Additionally, the log chain can be fastened to the part by bolting.

The second chain sling 15 is made up preferably of a length of log chain 53 which passes over an idler roller 54 rotatably positioned between a pair of plates 55 and 56 defining a mounting bracket and which areof the same general construction as the plates 30 and 31 of the mounting bracket for the chain sling 14. The plates 55'and 56 are secured together with a threaded sleeve 57 therebetween which receives a screw shaft 58 rotatably mounted in a bearing on an end plate 59 secured to an end of the frame 10. The screw shaft 58 can be rotated by a manually-operable crank 60 connected thereto. Rotation of the crank 60 results in movement of the mounting bracket along the flange 22 of the frame beam to vary the location of the chain sling 15 along the length of the frame. The chain sling 15 is not driven, but extends under and conforms generally to the shape of the part and is rotated as a result of rotation of the part by the driven chain sling 14, with resultant longitudinal movement of the chain 53.

In operation of the load handling device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the unit is placed over the part to be picked up and the proper spacing of the chain slings 14 and 15 is preliminarily determined according to the shape and size of the part by rotation of the cranks 38 and 60. The chains are then put under the part and connected to form the slings. The slings are then tightened by elevation of the unit through raising of the hoist. The beam 20 of the frame should be parallel to the load, with the chain slings 14 and 15 properly adjusted. Upon slight lifting of the load if the frame is not level, the load should be lowered and the mounting brackets for the slings 14 and 15- both moved an equal amount toward the high end of the frame beam. This operation should 'be repeated until the load and beam are level when raised by the hoist.

When the level condition is obtained, the hoist can be lifted to raise the part and handling device to a desired height and the part can then be rotated to expose any one of the surfaces of the part to a working position by operation of the motor 43 to drive the chain sling 14. The motor 43 is reversible, and the roller chain 50 is of sufficient'length whereby substantially 360 positioning of the part can be obtained. The chain sling 15 may be of a different total length than the chain sling 14 and, therefore, follows the rotation of the part, rather than being power driven.

In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, provision is made for adjusting the connection point of the hoist to the load handling device while a part is suspended a distance above floor level to avoid making one or more adjustments of the chain sling locations relative to the frame as required in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. The parts of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which are of the same construction as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 have been given the same reference numeral with 200 added thereto.

In this embodiment, a bracket for connection to the hoist hook has a pair of transverse plates 280 and 281, each constructed as shown for plate 281 in FIG. 5 having a recess 282 to receive the upper flange 221 of the frame beam 220 and with a pair of inturned legs 283 and 284 which extend under the flange 221 and which support the weight of the load handling device. A plate 285 is secured between the plates 280 and 281 and has an opening 286 to receive the hook of the hoist. The association of the bracket 280 and 281 with the frame beam permits longitudinal movement of the bracket relative to the frame beam. This movement is effected by a threaded shaft 290 which engages in threaded openings in the plates 280 and 281 and which is journaled in a journal block 291 at one end of the frame for rotation relative thereto. The shaft 290 is rotated by a removable manual operator 292 having a hook 293 engageable in an eye 294 at the lower end of a shaft 295 journaled in a journal block 296 attached to the frame panel 236. Rotation of shaft 295 is transmitted to threaded shaft 290 through bevel gears 297 and 298 on the respective shafts. The spacing between chain slings 214 and 215 can be adjusted for the length of the part to be rotatably suspended and afier lifting of the device if the load is not balanced the manual operator 292 can be rotated from the floor to adjust the point of hoist support of the load handling device until the load is balanced.

With all of the foregoing modifications of the invention,

heavy, bulky parts, having irregular shapes, can be suspended and rotatably positioned by operation of the power drive for the drive sling by driving through the motor 43 and the gear reduction unit associated therewith to orient the suspended part in a desired rotative position dependent upon the requirements of the work being done.

We claim:

l. A load handling device for suspending a part at a distance from the ground and for rotatably positioning the part while suspended comprising: an elongate frame; first and second load engaging units associated with said frame; said first unit having a bracket mounted on said frame for movement lengthwise thereof, a drive sprocket mounted on said bracket, and a driven chain in engagement with said sprocket and extending around the load to have lengthwise movement of the chain cause rotation of the load; said second unit having a bracket mounted on said frame for movement lengthwise thereof whereby movement of the brackets of said units centers the load relative to the frame, and a flexible chain passing over a roller mounted in the second unit bracket with said lastmentioned chain extending around the load to secure the two together for simultaneous movement; and selectively operable reversible power means connected to said drive sprocket to rotate the sprocket and index the drive chain to obtain the desired rotative positioning of the load with the flexible chain freely moving over its mounting roller to follow the powered rotation of the load.

2. A load handling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive chain includes a length of roller chain to engage the drive sprocket for positive transmission of power to the chain and a length of log chain to facilitate attachment to the load, and said flexible chain is log chain to facilitate conforming to the shape of the load.

3. A load handling device as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame is formed of a beam having a flange and each of said mounting unit brackets engage the top of said flange for support, means for moving said brackets along said flange including a pair of manually rotatable threaded shafts extending inwardly from opposite ends of the frame and a pair of nuts fitted one in each bracket and each receiving one of said threaded shafts, and said reversible power means includes an electric motor and brake unit on the frame with an output shaft keyed to and slidably received in the drive sprocket. 

